Do B-Schools prefer GMAT over GRE for MBA? [Average GMAT & GRE Scores Required]

Are you standing at the crossroads of your academic journey, trying to decide between the GMAT and GRE for your MBA dreams? We’ve been there, and let us tell you, it’s like staring at a menu with two equally tempting dishes. How do you choose? Well, in this blog post, we’ll dive into the MBA admissions world, talk about whether those prestigious business schools are cool with both GRE and GMAT scores, and help you figure out what’s the best fit for you.

In this blog:

How should you choose between GMAT and GRE for MBA?
Top B-Schools Accepting GRE for MBA
Which universities don’t ask for a GRE or GMAT score?
What is more preferable for an MBA, the GMAT or GRE?
Average GRE Scores for Top B-Schools

How should you choose between GMAT and GRE for MBA?

Given below are some key factors to keep in mind before choosing between GMAT or GRE for MBA:

Selection of the graduate program you intend to pursue: If you’re uncertain about the specific graduate program, opting for the GRE is a wise choice. However, if your goal is to enhance your career prospects through an MBA, the GMAT is the recommended test.
Relevance of skills assessed by each test: The GMAT and GRE present differing levels of difficulty. Many individuals perceive the GMAT’s Quant section to be more challenging. In contrast, the GRE’s verbal section places greater emphasis on vocabulary, while the GMAT’s verbal section focuses more on meaning and grammar.
Impact on MBA scholarships and post-MBA salary: Attaining a high GMAT score significantly improves your chances of receiving an MBA scholarship. In contrast, GRE scores do not typically factor into scholarship considerations. Several industries, especially consulting and finance, often explicitly request GMAT scores during the recruitment process. Furthermore, a strong correlation exists between GMAT scores and post-MBA salaries.
Policies of your target business schools: It’s essential to determine whether any of the business schools you’re interested in favour the GMAT over the GRE. If they do, it is advisable to take the GMAT to align with their preferences.

Top B-Schools Accepting GRE for MBA

Here is a list of top B-Schools accepting GRE for MBA programs:

B-Schools in the USA accepting GRE scores		B-Schools in Canada that accept GRE scores	B-Schools in Europe that accept GRE scores
Harvard Business School	Yale School of Management	University of Western Ontario – Ivey	London Business School
Stanford Graduate School of Business	University of Michigan Ann Arbor – Ross	HEC Montreal	University of Cambridge – Judge
Wharton School	Carnegie Mellon University – Tepper	University of British Columbia – Sauder	Oxford University – Said
Massachusetts Institute of Technology – Sloan	University of Virginia – Darden	York University – Schulich	University of Manchester
Columbia Business School	Georgetown University – McDonough	University of Toronto: Rotman	Cranfield University
Cornell University – Johnson	Emory University – Goizueta	University of Toronto	HEC Paris
Northwestern University – Kellogg	University of Texas Austin – McCombs	McGill University	INSEAD
New York University – Stern	University of North Carolina Chapel Hill – Kenan Flagler	University of Alberta	IMD
University of Chicago – Booth	University of Illinois Urbana Champaign	McMaster University	University of St. Gallen
University of California Berkeley – Haas	Vanderbilt University – Owen	Queen’s University	IESE Business School
Dartmouth College – Tuck	Washington University in St. Louis – Olin	Concordia University	ESADE
Duke University – Fuqua		York University
		Quebec University
		Brock University

Which universities don’t ask for a GRE or GMAT score?

We have compiled a list of the best MBA programs in 2023-24 that do not necessarily require the GMAT or GRE. This list serves as a tool for those looking to pursue MBA without GMAT or GRE scores.

University/ B-School	Location	GMAT/GRE Score Requirement
Massachusetts Institute of Technology (Sloan)	Cambridge, MA	They do offer waivers in certain cases.
New York University (Stern)	New York, NY	They do offer waivers in certain cases.
Cornell University (Johnson)	Ithaca, NY	For the 2023—2024 application cycle, candidates had the option to request a test waiver
University of California–Los Angeles (Anderson)	Los Angeles, CA	No GMAT/GRE score required the fall of 2023
University of Rochester (Simon)	Rochester, NY	They do offer waivers in certain cases.
Michigan State University (Broad)	East Lansing, MI	Score requirement is flexible for MBA applicants
Fordham University (Gabelli)	New York, NY	Standardised tests are not a requirement

What is more preferable for an MBA, the GMAT or GRE?

The GRE’s reputation and adoption in MBA program admissions have witnessed a steady rise in recent years. A growing number of prospective business school candidates are opting for the GRE as their preferred standardised test.

While more business schools are embracing the GRE as a valid option for MBA program admissions, it’s important to note that the GMAT remains the favoured choice among the top-tier business schools during the admission process. Given the continued prominence of the GMAT, one must carefully consider whether to choose the GRE for MBA program admissions.

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Average GRE Scores for Top B-Schools

Here is a list of average GRE score requirement for MBA in top B-Schools:

Quirky Titbit!

In the session 2021-2022, the percentage of MBA students who submitted GRE scores for MBA admission tripled from 7.6% in 2016-2017 to 22.9%!

Best Business Schools	Total	Verbal	Quant	AWA
Yale SOM	329	165	164	4.7
Stanford GSB	329	165	164	4.9
Harvard Business School	328	164	164	NA
UCLA (Anderson)	328	164	164	4.5
UC-Berkeley (Haas)	325	164	161	5
Virginia (Darden)	323	162	161	5
Cornell (Johnson)	322	161	161	4.5
Duke (Fuqua)	321	161	160	4.5
Carnegie Mellon (Tepper)	321	159	162	4
Michigan (Ross)	320	160	160	4.5
Dartmouth (Tuck)	319	161	158	4.8
Texas (McCombs)	316	158	158	4.3
UNC (Kenan-Flagler)	316	159	157	4
Notre Dame (Mendoza)	315	158	157	4.4
Georgetown (McDonough)	314	157	157	4.3

If you’re considering taking the GMAT or GRE exam, we recommend that you research the requirements and expectations of the business schools that you’re interested in. Determine what GMAT/ GRE score range they are looking for and other factors they consider important in their admissions decisions. Although the internet comes with a range of information, most are unreliable.

Our GMAT mentors at Jamboree have guided students towards success for the past 30 years. Their expert guidance has landed students at top b-schools, including Harvard, Stanford, Kellogg, Wharton, and many more. Book a free counselling session with Jamboree’s MBA expert now and kickstart your test preparation with valuable insights on the exam.